Harry's Nosy Interfering
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Hogwarts visits its German partner school for two weeks, but Harry is ill and misses most of it. However, he witnesses a small romance between his teachers. Will his nosy interfering lead to the desired result? Completely AU, partly OOC, sick!Harry, SS/OC


**Harry's Nosy Interfering  
**

Most of the students were still eating their lunch in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry when the Headmaster rose to make an announcement.

"Dear students, as you know we'll all leave tonight to visit our German partner school 'Birkenwald' in the Black Forest over the two weeks until the winter holidays. The Headmaster, Professor Hehl, contacted me this morning to ask if we could come a few hours earlier than originally planned. Therefore, we will all leave straight after your last afternoon class. After your last class, please pick up your luggage and assemble in your common room, where your Head of House will be waiting with a Portkey. The few students, who won't join us, will take their Portkey home at the same time."

'_How can they prefer to go home and do extra class work, instead of exploring another magical school, of which we haven't even heard of before, especially as we have two weeks of winter holidays afterwards?_' Harry mused, completely unable to understand these students' motivations.

At that moment, Professor Snape interrupted the Headmaster from behind, mumbling something that nobody else could understand. Dumbledore gave him an affirmative nod and turned back to his announcement.

"All right, Professor Snape just informed me that he has to supervise Harry Potter's detention tonight. Instead I will take the Slytherin students on the trip this afternoon. Professor Snape and Harry will join us late in the evening."

Harry groaned, especially as the Weasley twins leaned over the table to enquire, "What did you do to earn detention, Harry? Did we perhaps miss anything interesting?"

"No," Harry replied angrily. "I don't know why Oliver had to make us practise Quidditch in the snow for three hours yesterday, but this morning, my nose was running and I urgently had to blow it, so that I was a second late to stir my potion and it exploded."

Hermione threw Harry a worried glance. "Harry, you should go to Madam Pomfrey to get a dose of Pepper Up potion and be let out of your detention tonight. You don't look well."

"So that Snape will harass me all the time we'll be gone? No thanks," Harry replied in spite of feeling absolutely awful. "Well, let's head down to Care of Magical Creatures."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Hagrid was clearly too excited to teach them anything except for what he had learned in the staff meeting about the trip.

"The school is in the middle of the forest, where you can expect lots of snow at this time of the year. They have a main school building in the middle of a huge clearing and separate Houses for each year, which are built around the main building along the edge of the forest. You'll stay in your year's House together with the German students. Each House will be assigned an additional Head of House from Hogwarts."

"Excuse me sir, do you know who will be Head of House of the third years?" Seamus asked curiously.

Hagrid sighed. "If I remember correctly, Professor Dumbledore will take the seventh years, McGonagall the sixth years, Flitwick the fifth, Sprout the fourth, Snape the third years, Sinistra the second, and Lupin the first years," he explained, causing the Gryffindor part of the class to groan.

"So we're stuck with Snape. Well, at least he won't be able take points off Gryffindor," Ron said aloud what most of his House mates thought.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

After an absolutely boring History of Magic class, the Gryffindor third years assembled in their common room, waiting for their Head of House to arrive. When she finally came, she ordered Harry to fetch his trunk as well, before she put a strong shrinking spell on the students' entire luggage, shrinking all their trunks to a small bag, which she put in her robe pocket.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but you'll have to stay for your detention. Afterwards, Professor Snape will take you to the school with his Portkey," McGonagall said in a soft voice, gently patting Harry's shoulder.

"It's all right, Professor," Harry replied and waved his friends good-bye, before he headed up to his dormitory to take a short nap, knowing that he had still two hours left until his detention.

Two hours later, Harry dragged himself down to the dungeons, feeling worse by the minute. His nose was completely stuffed, his ears and his head were sore, and he was shivering in spite of the warm Weasley sweater he was wearing under his robes. '_Maybe you should ask Professor Snape for a Pepper Up potion_,' a small voice at the back of his head spoke up, and Harry had to admit that it was right. '_Well, I have to serve my detention first_,' he mused and hesitantly knocked at the door of the Potions Master's office.

"Come in, Potter," the professor called him in and instructed him to once more brew the potion, which he had been supposed to brew in class that morning.

"Yes sir," Harry replied and set to work, while the professor busied himself at the table next to Harry brewing another potion. From the corner of his eyes, Snape watched Harry's every move but had nothing to criticize. However, thirty minutes later, Harry all of a sudden noticed that dizziness overcame him. Before he could do as much as grab the table to steady himself, his vision failed completely and he passed out on the floor.

HP SNAPE'S POV HP

The professor watched the student pass out in horror. '_What's wrong now?_' he mused and quickly cast an Evanesco spell at both cauldrons, before he crouched over the child, lightly shaking Harry in an attempt to get his attention. '_He's burning up_,' he noticed, '_but why is he unconscious?_'

"Mr. Potter, wake up. Hello, Mr. Potter?"

Harry didn't even stir when the teacher cast an Enervate spell. '_I need to get him to Pomfrey_,' Snape mused, before he all of a sudden realized that Madam Pomfrey had accompanied everyone else to Germany and he was all alone with the unconscious child, if he didn't count Hagrid, Filch, and Trelawney.

Severus sighed. Unfortunately, he wasn't good at overall diagnostic spells. If he could guess what was ailing a student , he could cast an aimed spell and confirm if his assumption was correct, but since he had no idea what was wrong with the boy, it was difficult. He gently scooped him up in his arms and carried him through his private quarters into his own bed room, not knowing where else to put the child for the time being.

He pointed his wand at Harry's head, taking his temperature. '_Well, it's fairly high but not dangerously so_,' he pondered, '_it could still be the wizard's flu_.' He guessed several kinds of illnesses, but all his diagnostic spells remained negative. '_All right, I have to send Abacus to Germany and inform Albus that he has to send Pomfrey back. I can't take a Portkey together with an unconscious child; depending on what his problem is, it might kill him_.'

The professor hurriedly scribbled a message for the Headmaster, before he let out a small whistle to call Abacus, his eagle owl. "I'm sorry, Abacus; I know that it's far, but I need you to urgently take this to Professor Dumbledore in Germany."

Feeling slightly relieved when Abacus took off, Severus returned to his bedroom, pondering how he could help the boy. Unfortunately, he didn't have any idea apart from spelling a fever reducer into his stomach, noticing that it worked at least some. He spent the whole night sitting in a comfortable chair next to his own bed, watching over the offspring of his childhood enemy.

It was nearly morning, when Harry finally stirred.

HP HARRY'S POV HP

Harry's mind slowly turned towards consciousness, making him groan as he once more felt the pain that had bothered him the previous evening.

"Potter?" a soft, silky voice suddenly penetrated his ears like from far away. '_Snape?_' he mused, slowly opening his eyes.

"Pfessor?" Harry asked groggily, noticing that it even hurt to speak.

"Welcome to the world of the living," the teacher sneered, before he gave him a piercing look and asked in obvious concern, "What's wrong, Mr. Potter?"

"Hurts," Harry mumbled, musing, '_He sounds as if he was worried about me. That's strange_.'

"What exactly hurts, Mr. Potter? I can only help you, if you tell me exactly what's wrong," the teacher said without malice in his voice, resting his obsidian eyes on Harry's face that was flushed deeply.

"My ears and my head, but my ears are the worst," Harry whispered.

"Of course, the ears," Snape breathed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, I didn't think of that." He lit the tip of his wand and slightly turned Harry's head to pierce into his ears, before he once more waved his wand at the boy, casting another diagnostic spell. This time, it flared red.

"Yes, you have a bad ear infection," the teacher said, just when Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"Mr. Potter, couldn't you wait to see me again?" she greeted them jokily but immediately turned into Healer mode, casting a proper diagnostic spell.

"A bad ear infection along with a disturbance of equilibrium," she diagnosed. "That's why he fell unconscious," she added towards Severus. She quickly informed the teacher what kind of potions Harry would need and said thoughtfully, "I'd stay here with him, but I believe that I'm needed in Germany as well as you are, so we have to take Harry with us."

"Maybe it would be the best if he returned home for the time being?" Snape suggested, giving Harry a questioning look.

"No, please, no, Professor, anything but that," Harry replied with an expression of utmost horror on his face, excitedly trying to sit up. "Can't I stay here in my dormitory, so that I won't be a burden to anyone?" he asked pleadingly, causing the two adults to throw him confused looks.

"Harry, first of all you're not a burden to anyone," Pomfrey said firmly, gently pushing him back into a lying position. "You can't stay here all on your own, because you're very ill and need someone to look after you. Professor Snape didn't mean that we don't want to care for you, he merely asked if you would be more comfortable at home."

"Hogwarts is my home," Harry mumbled, "and my aunt would throw me into my cupboard to rot anyway..." He stopped himself terrified when he noticed what he just blurted out to the Mediwitch and his most hated teacher.

"Very interesting, Mr. Potter. We're going to have a detailed conversation about your relatives' treatment of you when you're back to health. I suppose that they have a hospital wing in that school?" Snape enquired, turning to Poppy.

"No. They have hospital rooms in each of the Houses, and the Mediwitch has to tend to all the Houses, which is only possible because the Heads of House help looking after their sick students. Mr. Potter can be glad to have you as Head of House and not one of the others, who aren't even able to cast a diagnostic spell."

Snape gently helped Harry to sit up, firmly putting an arm around his shoulders since he still seemed to feel dizzy, and made him drink two potions, causing Harry to slightly relax.

"That helped a bit. Thank you, Professor," he said hoarsely, although his feverishly flushed face was still scrunched painfully.

"Nevertheless, you need at least a week of absolute bed rest," Madam Pomfrey told him sternly, before she turned to Severus. "He will probably become very dizzy by the Portkey or could even become unconscious again. Can you hold him firmly please, Severus?"

"Of course," the Slytherin replied and produced the Portkey. He motioned Harry to firmly grab the stuffed snake, while he gently pulled the boy into his arms. As soon as Pomfrey held on to the Portkey, Snape spoke the activating password, and in front of Harry's eyes, everything began to turn around.

HP IN GERMANY HP

By the time they arrived in the Headmaster's office of Birkenwald, Harry had passed out again. Beside the German Headmaster, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall as well as two unknown ladies were waiting for them, throwing Harry concerned looks.

"What happened, Severus?" Dumbledore asked sternly.

Before Snape could even begin to explain, Poppy filled her colleagues in about Harry's condition and quickly conjured a stretcher, motioning Snape, who was still holding the child in his arms, to put him onto the stretcher.

"Maybe you better carry him," one of the unknown women threw in softly, "if he isn't too heavy. It's very cold outside, and we have to walk five minutes through the snow."

"No problem," Snape replied in an evenly gentle voice, causing McGonagall and Dumbledore to throw him surprised but appreciative looks.

Mr. Hehl, the Headmaster of Birkenwald, introduced the women as Frau Philippen, the Mediwitch, and Professor Wunsch, the Magical Arts teacher, who was the third years' Head of House.

"Hello, I'm Sylvia," Professor Wunsch said, extending her hand to Severus.

McGonagall had a hard time not to laugh as Severus took her hand without so much as a blink and replied, "Severus."

"Severus and Poppy, I trust that you'll be fine with your colleagues then. We'll see you at lunchtime," Dumbledore dismissed them with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, and Snape nodded affirmatively.

HP SNAPE'S POV HP

"All right, let's take the child to the third years' medical room," Madam Philippen, who was a stern looking woman of Madam Pomfrey's age, suggested firmly and left the room, leading the way out onto the grounds.

'_Thank God it's Saturday and classes only begin on Monday. Everything seems so strange here that it's good to have a bit of time to adjust_,' Severus mused, while he followed the others through the snow.

Each House was painted in a different colour, and they were heading straight to the orange House. '_This school must be much newer than Hogwarts, at least the school buildings are_,' he thought and followed the ladies into the house and up to the second floor, where he was led into a small room with four beds.

Snape gently laid Harry on one of the white beds, watching as Pomfrey and Philippen waved their wands over him a few times and conferred for a minute, before Poppy finally cast the Enervate spell that worked this time.

HP HARRY'S POV HP

"Hello again, Mr. Potter," Snape said in his soft, silky voice, causing Harry to blink.

"Hello Professor," he mumbled, feeling a bit confused as he looked around, seeing the unknown women.

Snape quickly introduced the professor and the Mediwitch, and Professor Wunsch greeted the boy in a soft voice. "Hello Harry. I'm Professor Wunsch, your second Head of House for the time being."

"Hello," Harry replied, liking the woman immediately. She was blond and had green eyes just like him, and somehow she reminded him of how he imagined his mother from what he had seen in pictures and heard about her.

The two Healers quickly filled the teachers in when they had to check on Harry, what potions they had to give him, and told them that they had to record all information about his condition on the card that was placed on his night table in case neither of them was there, before they retreated into the office, which was situated at the back of the small hospital room.

"Severus, my room is just next to this one," Professor Wunsch said softly, pointing to the door back into the hall, "and your room is next to mine. In case you'd like to unpack or take a rest, I'll stay with Harry. I'll call you in case he asks for you. The door to your quarters is unlocked, but you can set a password to lock it."

"All right," Snape agreed, feeling in dire need to take a shower, and strode out of the room.

Professor Wunsch sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and began to gently wipe his flushed face with the cool cloth that Poppy had placed on his forehead. Minerva had told her everything about the boy while they were waiting for him to arrive, and she felt really sorry for the child, knowing from her own childhood that it was horrible to grow up without a mother.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry mumbled hoarsely, "feels good."

"I'm sorry that you're so ill, Harry. We'll have to try make you feel better quickly, so that you can enjoy the snow outside," Wunsch told him softly, causing a small smile to play on Harry's lips.

"I'm looking forward to it," Harry whispered. "I'm sorry to be such a burden."

The teacher threw him a horrified look. "You're not a burden, Harry. Did anyone at Hogwarts tell you such a thing?"

"No!" Harry replied, startled, only to add in a small voice, "Not at Hogwarts, not even Professor Snape, who hates me with a passion; my relatives, whom I grew up with."

"Professor Snape doesn't hate you, Harry; otherwise, he wouldn't have carried you all the way through the snow while you were unconscious instead of placing you on the stretcher Madam Pomfrey conjured for you," the teacher replied softly, resolving to speak with Professor Snape about the child later on. She continued to gently bathe his face, not wanting to upset the sick child even more.

"What subject do you teach, Professor?" Harry whispered after a while.

"I teach Magical Arts, Harry, which involves all kind of arts from music to painting," Professor Wunsch explained gently.

"That sounds interesting. It's a pity that we don't have that at Hogwarts. I'd love to paint or to learn play music."

"You'll still have the chance in your second week here. Classes will be over next weekend, so that everyone can enjoy a week of freedom before the beginning of the holidays, but I can still teach you," Wunsch explained. Seeing that Harry's expression became painful, she asked softly, "What's wrong? Are your ears very sore?"

Harry gave her a small nod, pointing to his right ear, shivering violently as the teacher gently applied some of the ointment to his ear. Seeing that the two Healers had floo-ed to one of the other Houses in the meantime, the teacher took the magical thermometer from the night table and motioned Harry to open his mouth, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't take your temperature with a spell."

Harry complied, once more shivering badly at the cold touch in his mouth when the teacher stuck a cold thin stick under his tongue. A few seconds later, the end of the thermometer flared red. The teacher gently helped Harry to sit up and made him drink two potions, before she said, "I think you should try to sleep a bit, Harry. I'll be here until you fall asleep, and then I'll go and see how your classmates are getting along. But I'll come back later."

"Kay," Harry mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.

When he woke up a few hours later, he saw that Professor Wunsch was once more sitting on the edge of his bed, animatedly talking with Professor Snape, who had taken a seat on a chair beside Harry's bed.

From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw that Snape was smiling at something his German colleague must have said. '_He smiles_,' he thought in complete amazement.

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Over the next few days, Harry's condition remained unchanged. Everyone felt sorry for him, seeing how his classmates enjoyed snowball fights together with their German friends every day after classes, but Harry felt too bad to care. He slept most of the time due to the effects of the strong potions Madam Pomfrey had prescribed. The two Mediwitches and his two Heads of House took turns looking after him, and most times when he woke up, at least one of the four people was with him.

Sometimes, Harry just lay there with his eyes closed, listening to the teachers' voices that sounded so soft and comforting to his sore ears. Even without paying attention to the content of their conversations, he noticed soon that Professors Snape and Wunsch seemed to get along extremely well. '_I can understand him; she's really nice_,' he mused, while he lazily opened his eyes, ready to endure the teachers' fawning.

Unfortunately, it took much longer for Harry's condition to improve than Madam Pomfrey had predicted, and only two days before the Hogwarts students had to leave for their homes or Hogwarts, his fever finally broke. Unbeknownst to Harry, the four adults talked about what to do with him in concern.

"I'm afraid that the use of a Portkey will cause his condition to worsen again," Pomfrey said, giving her colleagues a worried look.

"I could keep him here and look after him," Professor Wunsch offered immediately. "I'm going to stay here over the holidays anyway, and I don't mind having Harry with me. He's such a sweet child."

"We have to ask Professor Dumbledore, but if he doesn't mind, that'll be the best solution," Madam Philippen agreed immediately. "I'll be here and help look after him anyway."

Everyone including Harry agreed to the suggestion. "Maybe you'll still be able to have some fun in the snow," the teacher told him gently, causing a small smile to appear on the child's face.

'_It'll be great to stay here over the holidays. My friends will go home anyway, and I really like Professor Wunsch_,' Harry mused in the evening.

"Harry, I know that you're not allowed any visitors, because your condition is still so bad, but I'd be willing to let one of your friends visit in case you want to see someone," Professor Wunsch told him in the morning of the day before his friends had to go home.

Harry thought for a moment. "I'd like to see Hermione then," he finally replied, giving the teacher a grateful smile.

"Hermione Granger, right?" Wunsch confirmed, causing Harry to nod. "All right, I'll go and get her," she promised and left the room only to return a few minutes later with Hermione in tow.

"Harry, are you all right?" the girl asked, giving him a concerned look. "We were so worried, and they didn't allow us to visit you, although we begged Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape every day."

Harry sighed. "Well, I'm much better now. Professors Wunsch and Snape spent a lot of time with me, and they told me a bit of what happened. Is it true that Ron left, because he couldn't get along with Snape?"

"Yes, that's true," Hermione replied, rolling her eyes. "He behaved like a five year old, but anyway, Dumbledore talked to his parents and gave him a Portkey to go home last weekend."

Hermione and Harry talked for an hour, but then the girl noticed that Harry became exhausted. "Harry, I'll let you rest now. Take care, and I'll see you at the beginning of January," she said softly, pulling him into a light embrace.

"Thanks Hermione," Harry whispered tiredly. "Enjoy your holidays." Before the girl had even left the room, he was already asleep.

Later in the evening, he woke up, hearing voices talking quietly at his side. He left his eyes closed, and Professors Wunsch and Snape, who were sitting at his side talking like they did every evening, thought that he was still fast asleep.

"I don't want you to leave, Severus," Professor Wunsch all of a sudden said. "Can't you stay here over the holidays?"

"Sylvia, I'd love to do so," Harry could hear Snape reply, "but I have to ask your and my Headmaster."

"Ah, but I already asked them," the soft, female voice spoke up again. "They said they wish us a merry Christmas together."

"Well, I shouldn't leave Potter here alone anyway," Snape spoke again after a while, causing the woman to throw him a questioning look, which he decided to ignore for the moment.

The room remained quiet until Snape spoke up again after a while. "I thought that I'd never been able to love someone after Lily Evans, who was Harry's mother, but maybe I was wrong. I feel very attracted to you, Sylvia." He gently pulled the woman in an embrace.

"I feel the same too, Severus," his colleague whispered, causing Harry to smile inwardly as he drifted back to sleep.

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When Harry was finally allowed to get up for a short while a few days later, Professor Wunsch took him on a small walk around the main school building, showing him the classrooms and the library, which was nearly as big as the one in Hogwarts, although most of the books were in German. However, Harry noticed quickly that there were more than enough English books to keep him busy for a week and told the teacher that he'd be all right by himself for a few hours in order to give her and Snape some time to spend together.

"All right, Harry. Please go back to bed as long as you feel well enough to walk back. If you feel worse, please Floo call Frau Philippen."

"I will," Harry promised. "Excuse me, but what does 'Frau' mean? Mrs.?" He had already wondered a few times.

"Yes, exactly, Harry. I'll come and fetch you in time for lunch in case you're still here. Unfortunately, the students, who remained over the holidays, have gone for a trip to the town today, but tomorrow, I'll introduce you to the three third years, who're here over the holidays, provided that you're well enough," Professor Wunsch promised, smiling at Harry's thrilled expression.

Over the remainder of the holidays, Harry spent most of the time together with his three classmates, one boy and two girls, whom he liked immediately. The teachers had decided to keep him in the hospital room overnight, knowing that he wasn't a hundred percent back to normal yet, but over the day, he was free to roam the school and the surrounding area of the forest with his friends. In the evenings, the teachers made him go to bed shortly after dinner, and Harry felt too tired to disagree and obeyed. He still needed his potions, and they made him fall asleep quickly anyway.

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One evening, Professor Wunsch came to check on Harry alone. "Professor Snape urgently had to return to Hogwarts," she told him, and Harry noticed that tears welled in the professor's eyes.

"What happened?" he asked in concern, causing her to let out a deep sigh.

"I don't know," she finally replied. "I have no idea."

'_Strange; if Dumbledore had called him back to Hogwarts, he'd surely have come and told me_,' Harry mused, who had learned to get along with the Potions Master over the nearly four weeks they spent at Birkenwald together. Seeing that the teacher could hardly keep her tears back anymore, he told her in a soft voice, "Professor, you needn't sit with me tonight. I'm fine, and Frau Philippen will come and give me my potions later anyway."

"Thanks Harry, I'll return to my rooms for tonight then. You know how to call me in case you need me," the teacher said gratefully, tucking Harry in gently, before she left the room.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

On the day Harry had to return to Hogwarts, Headmaster Hehl handed him a Portkey that took him straight into the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey checked on him and released him with a warning.

"Mr. Potter, the problem with your ears in connection to your disturbance of equilibrium can be a re-occurring problem. If you feel dizzy or your ears begin to hurt again, you have to come and see me immediately. I don't want you to fly for a month. If you don't have problems during that time, you may fly and play Quidditch again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied annoyed, hoping that her warning was only an exaggeration.

Fortunately, over the next weeks nothing happened, and Harry slowly began to forget the problem. However, he often remembered his winter holidays, which he had really enjoyed once he had been allowed out of bed. '_I wonder what happened between Professor Wunsch and Snape_,' he mused. '_They certainly had a fight; she was crying when he returned to Hogwarts, and Snape has been an absolute git since we're back here. It's a pity; they were so cute together_.'

Once, he wrote a letter to Professor Wunsch, thanking the teacher for all that she had done for him during his stay at Birkenwald. Hedwig returned a week later, carrying an answer from the professor, in which the woman also asked how Professor Snape was.

Harry used the History of Magic class to ponder what to write back, but after Snape had acted once more like a real git during their Potions class in the morning, he decided to tell Professor Wunsch the truth.

'_Dear Professor Wunsch, _

_Thanks for your kind answer. Professor Snape has been acting like a real git ever since he returned from the holidays. I think he misses you. He was much friendlier during our stay at Birkenwald._

_No, fortunately, so far I didn't have any more problems, and I'm even allowed to fly again, which is good, because we have our next Quidditch match in a few weeks' time._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_.'

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Two days after the last Quidditch match of the school year at the end of May, Harry noticed that he was feeling slightly dizzy. '_Perhaps it's because I skipped dinner last night_,' he thought at first and dragged himself down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

However, by the time he arrived at the Potions classroom for the first morning class, he felt even dizzier and his ears began to hurt as well. '_I have to tell Snape_,' he mused, not wanting to take a chance to faint in front of the whole class. As soon as the professor opened the classroom door and let them in, Harry walked over to the teacher.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm not feeling so well. Might I please be excused?" he stammered, averting his eyes to the floor.

"What exactly is wrong, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked, and before Harry noticed what happened, a cool, slender hand found its way to his forehead, where it remained for a few seconds.

"My ears hurt, and I feel dizzy," he explained in a small voice, causing the professor to lead him into his office, where he ordered him to lie down on the sofa.

"I'll be back and take you to the hospital wing in a few minutes," Snape told him in a gentle voice, before he stepped into the classroom and instructed Harry's classmates what they had to do.

"Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy, you're both responsible for the class until I'll be back. I have to take Mr. Potter to the hospital wing," he quickly explained, before he headed back into his office. "Mr. Potter, I will take you with me on a stretcher, because you might get even more problems in the Floo," he told Harry, before he conjured a stretcher and helped the boy to lie down on it. In the hospital wing, he gently laid him on a bed, called out for Madam Pomfrey, and hurriedly returned to his classroom.

"It's not as bad as it was the last time, but it only seems to be the beginning, so it still might become worse. You'll have to stay here for at least a week, Harry," the Mediwitch said, putting her wand away. "It's good that Professor Snape brought you on a stretcher and not through the Floo, because that would have further aggravated your condition."

"He said so," Harry remembered. "He was really nice today, just like he was during the winter holidays."

"I don't know what happened during those holidays, but since he came back he behaves worse than before," Madam Pomfrey said thoughtfully, obviously more to herself than to Harry.

"I know what is wrong, but I've no idea how to help him," he admitted hesitantly. Seeing the Mediwitch's questioning look, he explained what he had witnessed between Professors Snape and Wunsch a few months ago.

"Professor Wunsch didn't know why he returned earlier, and she still asks about him? Well, I think I need to have a small conversation with Professor Snape," Poppy decided, before she turned back into Healer mode and made Harry drink several potions, causing him to fall asleep.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

When Harry woke up in the evening, he saw Madam Pomfrey having a conversation with Professor Snape in her office. He couldn't understand what they were talking about, but he saw that Poppy was the one to speak, while Snape blushed deeply and looked like a school boy being scolded by his teacher.

"Severus, not only our colleagues noticed that you haven't been your usual self ever since you returned from the winter holidays. Could it perhaps be that your behaviour has something to do with a certain Professor Sylvia Wunsch at Birkenwald?"

Snape let out a deep sigh. The Mediwitch knew him so well that he could neither hide nor deny anything. "Poppy, I'm a Death Eater. At least I was one. How can I tell her that? And what'll happen if he succeeds to return like he nearly managed two years ago?" he asked in desperation. "She deserves someone better than me. Moreover, that happened five months ago, and she'll have already forgotten about me."

Poppy shook her head. "No, she didn't forget you yet, and she still seems to be grieving. Mr. Potter told me that he is exchanging letters with her once a month and she keeps asking about you each time. She also cried in front of Harry when you ran away from her. Go, take the Floo to Headmaster Hehl's office and speak with her. Just tell her the truth."

Seeing that the younger teacher glanced at the fireplace, she added, "Floo back here when you return. If you're not back by tomorrow morning in time for classes, I'll inform Albus."

"I'll ask for his permission before I leave anyway though," Severus replied thoughtfully and headed to the fireplace.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

When Harry woke up in the morning, he noticed that he was feeling worse than on the day before and that Hermione was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Mione," he mumbled hoarsely.

"Hi Harry, Professor Snape's classes were cancelled for the whole day, so that I have a free period, but Madam Pomfrey allowed me in only for a few minutes. How're you feeling?"

"Horrible," Harry sighed, groaning inwardly at the speed, in which the girl talked. '_Snape's classes cancelled? I wonder_...'

Before Harry or Hermione could say anything more, Madam Pomfrey came over and shooed Hermione out, telling her to come again the next day.

"Madam Pomfrey, were did Professor Snape go?" Harry asked excitedly, while the Mediwitch was waving her wand over him.

She sighed and put her wand away, before she replied, "He went to speak with her yesterday night, and I take it as a good sign that he isn't back yet."

Later the same day, Harry noticed a movement next to his bed and lazily opened his achy eyes, seeing Professor Snape sitting on the chair at his side. "Professor," he mumbled in surprise, causing the teacher to mumble something about nosy, interfering Gryffindors, but his expression was a very happy one.

"I have a letter for you, Mr. Potter," the teacher said, handing Harry a white envelope. Seeing that Harry tried to sit up, he gently steadied his back and sat next to Harry on the edge of the bed, so that the boy could lean against him.

"Thank you sir, I'm still very dizzy," Harry mumbled gratefully and opened his letter.

'_Dear Harry,_

_Thank you so much for interfering and setting Madam Pomfrey up to send Severus here. You're such a sweetie! We talked, and everything is all right now. He told me that you're ill again. I'm so sorry to hear that. I will spend the weekend at Hogwarts, and I promise that I'll annoy Madam Pomfrey if necessary until she lets me see you._

_Get well soon, Harry, and I'll see you on the weekend,_

_Sylvia Wunsch_.'

Harry handed the letter to Snape, who placed it on the night table and gently helped Harry lie down again. "I'm glad everything went well, Professor. I like Professor Wunsch very much," Harry said softly.

"If you do so much as..." the professor began with a menacing glare on his face.

"I won't," Harry interrupted him quickly. "I promise that this remains between Madam Pomfrey and us. I respect that this is a private matter, and it was only by chance that I witnessed it during the winter holidays. But I'm very happy for you."

They both remained quiet for a few minutes, before Harry spoke up in a small voice, "Professor, I don't know why, but since I met Professor Wunsch for the first time, I somehow had the impression that she somehow resembled my mother, although I've never met her, but from all I have seen or heard..." He slowly trailed off. "Does that make sense, Professor?"

"It makes sense," Snape replied slowly. "It's not only the colour of her eyes that resembles Lily; there is more to it. That's probably the reason why I fell in love with her."

Harry exhaustedly closed his eyes, but Severus could see that a smile was playing on his lips.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

On Friday evening, Professor Wunsch came to visit Harry, but he had just taken his potions and was on the verge of falling asleep, so that they could only exchange a few words, and the professor promised to come again the next day.

She came again together on Saturday afternoon with Professor Snape in tow, who told Harry in a soft voice, "Mr. Potter, we'd like you to tell us a bit about your family life at home with your relatives."

"Why? There's nothing to tell," Harry replied, horrified, causing the teachers to snort.

"Harry, we believe that it was because of the high fever you were spiking at that time, but you already told us a bit about the treatment you received," Wunsch told him softly. "We'd just like to have more information, so that we could help you and perhaps would be able to prevent you from returning there again this summer."

Harry shook his head in exasperation. "That won't work, Professors. I've already talked to the Headmaster and asked him to let me stay at Hogwarts last year and the year before, but he wouldn't listen anyway."

"Did you tell him that your relatives abused and neglected you, Mr. Potter?" Snape replied in a slightly upset voice.

"They didn't abuse me," Harry protested weakly, causing Snape to snort.

"Mr. Potter, I know better from what you told us when you were delirious, and Madam Pomfrey said that she already talked to the Headmaster several times, noticing how worse your health condition always is after the summer holidays compared to how it is before the holidays. The only way to make the Headmaster listen is to tell him a few details. Moreover, you can't remain at Hogwarts over the summer as a student. So, he couldn't have allowed you to stay anyway. However, you'd be able to stay as a teacher's ward."

"Harry, I'd like to take you in," Professor Wunsch threw in. "Professor Snape and I told Professor Dumbledore that we decided to get married during the summer holidays, and the Headmaster promised to set up the subject of Magical Arts at your school from the next school year onwards and offered me the teacher's position. Therefore, Professor Snape and I will be living together at Hogwarts, and we could apply for the guardianship over you, if you wanted us to do so," she explained gently, while Snape nodded affirmatively.

"You don't have to decide right now, Mr. Potter. Professor Wunsch will come and visit me again the next two weekends until the beginning of the holidays, and provided that Madam Pomfrey lets you go, you could come and spend a few hours with us to see if we'd make better guardians than your relatives."

"I already know that without trying out," Harry laughed. "Anyway, congratulations Professors," he replied, throwing the two teachers a genuine smile. "And yes, I'd love for you to become my guardians."

**The End**

_

* * *

I am not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


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